Looking Unto Jesus, Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Section 5
SECT. V. Of Believing in Jeſus in that Reſpect.
5. WE muſt believe on Jeſus carrying on this great work of our ſalvation in a way of covenant. Many a time Satan comes and hurles in a temptation, What? Is it likely that God ſhould enter into a covenant with thee? yea, ſometimes he ſo rivets in this temptation, that he darkens all within, and there's no ſight of comfort in the ſoul: O but now believe! now if ever is the ſeaſon for faith to act; little evidence and much adherence ſpeaks ſaith to purpoſe. We read of ſome who could ſtay themſelves upon the Lord, whiles they walked in darkneſs upon the margin, and borders of a hundred deaths.Pſal. 23.4. Pſ. 88.7. David fears no evil, though he walked through the valley of the ſhadow of death; for his faith told him, that God was with him. Heman could ſay, thy wrath lieth hard upon me, thou haſt afflicted me with all thy waves; ſure he thought, God could do no more to drown him; not only a wave or two, but all Gods waves were on him, and over him; and yet he believes, Lord I have called daily upon thee. Hezekiahs comforts were at an hard pinch.ver. 9. Mine eyes fail with looking upwards: O Lord I am oppreſſed; Iſa. 39.14.yet praying argues believing, Lord undertake for me. Chriſts ſenſe of comforts was ebbe and low, when he wept, and cryed, that he was forſaken of God; yet then his faith is doubled, as the cable of an Anchor is doubled when the ſtorm is more than ordinary,Mat. 27.46. my God, my God.
Poor ſoul! thou ſtandeſt wondering at this great condeſcention of God; What? That God ſhould enter into covenant with me? What? that God ſhould make ſuch great and precious promiſes with me? Surely theſe comforts, and theſe priviledges, are too high for me, or for any ſoul breathing. — It may be ſo; and yet be not diſcouraged, for God will magnifie his grace, and therefore he will do this great thing; all that thou haſt to do, and all that God requires of thee, in this caſe, is onelyonly to believe; indeed thou haſt no part in Chriſt, no part in the covenant of grace, if thou wilt not believe; faith is the condition of the covenant of grace; and therefore either believe, or no covenant.
I know it is not eaſie to believe; nay, it is one of the hardeſt things under heaven to perſwade a ſoul into faith: What? Will the great God of heaven make a Covenant with ſuch a wretch as I am? I cannot believe it. Why, What's the matter? Ah my ſins, my ſins, my ſins! God is a conſuming fire againſt ſuch, he cannot endure to behold iniquity: little hopes that ever God ſhould enter into a covenant with me. But to help on, or to allure a ſoul in, conſider, O thou ſoul, of theſe following paſſages.
1. Conſider of the ſweet and gracious nature of God: that which undoes broken hearts, and trembling ſouls, it is miſconceivings of God: we have many times low, diminiſhing, ex enuating thoughts of Gods goodneſs; but we have large thoughts of his power and wrath: now to rectifie theſe miſapprehenſions, conſider his name, and therein his nature, the Lord, the Lord, Merciful, and Gracious, Long-ſuffering, and abundant in Goodneſs, and Truth, keeping mercy for Thouſands forgiving Iniquity, Tranſgreſſions, & Sins; and will by no means clear the guilty, viſiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, and upon the Childrens Children, unto the Third and Fourth Generation. O terrible Text!Exod. 34.6, 7 ſayes the Soul, alas I am guilty of thouſands of ſins; and if this be his Name I am undone, woe to me and mine, unto the Third and Fourth Generation. But conſider again, and in this deſcription of God we ſhall find an Ocean of Mercy to a Drop of Wrath; a Sea of Oyl to an half drop of ſcalding Lead. For,—
1. God doth not begin, the Lord, the Lord, that will by no means clear the guilty; but, the Lord, the Lord, Merciful, and Gracious, Long-ſuffering; this is the firſt and greateſt part of his Name; God is loath to ſpeak in juſtice, and wrath; he keeps it to the laſt; m…rcy lies uppermoſt in Gods heart; if the ſentence muſt come, it ſhall be the laſt day of the Aſſize.
2 Many words are uſed to ſpeak his goodneſs: Merciful, Gracious, Long-ſuffering and abundant in Goodneſs, keeping Mercy for Thouſands, forgiving Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion and Sin; here be ſix ſeveral phraſes, to ſhew the Riches of his Goodneſs, but when he ſpeaks his wrath, what haſte makes he over it? there's only two expreſſions of that; it was a Theam he took no delight in; Judgment is his Work, his ſtrange Work; Iſa. 28.22.for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men.
3. There's a difference in the expreſſion; when God ſpeaks of mercy,Lam. 3.33. he expreſſeth it thus, abundant in Mercy; keeping Mercy for Thouſands. But in viſiting ſins, it is not to thouſands, but only to the Third or Fourth Generation. Surely Mercy rejoyceth againſt Judgment. God would ſhew Mercy to Thouſands,Jam. 2.13. rather than he would deſtroy three or four.
4. What if by no means God will clear the guilty? ſtubbornly guilty? yet never will he deſtroy humble ſouls that lye at his feet, and are willing to have mercy on his eaſie terms. How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim, how ſhall I deliver thee O Iſrael?Hoſ. 11.8, 9. how ſhall I make thee as Admah? How ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together, I will not execute the fierceneſs of Mine anger, I will not deſtroy Ephraim, for I am God and not Man, the Holy One in the middeſt of …ee; O my ſoul! why ſtandeſt thou at a diſtance with God? Why doſt thou fancy a Lion in the way? O b…lieve in God, believe in Jeſus! and believe thy portion in this Covenant of grace! have ſweet and delightful thoughts of Gods nature, and thou wilt not, thou canſt not ſly from him: ſome are of opinion that a ſoul may fetch more encouragements to believe, from the conſideration of Gods gracious and merciful nature, than from the promiſe it ſelf.
2. Conſider of the ſweet and gracious nature of Jeſus Chriſt: our thoughts of God are neceſſarily more ſtrange than of Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe of our infinite diſtance from the Godhead; but in Chriſt, God is come down into our nature, and ſo infinite goodneſs, and mercy is incarnate; art thou afraid, O my ſoul, at his name Jah, and Jehovah! O remember his name is Emanuel; the Lyon is here diſrobed of his garment of terrour; his rough hair is turned into a ſoft wooll; ſee thy God diſrobed of his terrible Majeſty, ſee thy God is a man, and thy Judg is a Brother; mince Jehovah with Jeſus, and the Serpent wi…l be a rod; O that Balſamy name, Jeſus; that name that founds healing for every wound, ſettlement for every diſtraction, comfort for every ſorrow: but here's the miſery, ſouls in diſtreſs had rather be poring on hell than heaven; rather frighting themſelves with the terrours of juſtice, than ſtaying themſelves with the fl…ggons of Mercy. O my ſoul, how canſt thou more contradict the nature of Chriſt, and the Goſpel-deſcription of Chriſt, than to think him a deſtroyer of men? b…t wherein appears the gracious nature of Chriſt? I anſwer, in his being incarnate, O how could Jeſus have manifeſted more willingneſs to ſave, than that the God-head ſhould condeſcend to aſſume our nature? ſurely this is ten thouſand times more condeſcention, than for the greateſt King to become a ſly, or a toad, to ſave ſuch creatures as toads and flyes. 2. In his tender dealing with all ſorts of ſinners, he profeſſed th t he came into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be ſaved. He wept over Jeruſalem, ſaying, O Jeruſalem, Je…uſalem, Mat. 23.37▪how oft would I have gathered thee as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings? but ye would not. I would, but ye would not And when his Diſciples would have had fire come down from Heaven to conſume tho…e that refuſed him, he reproves them, and tells them, they know not of what ſpirits they were of. 3. In his care of his own; not caring what he ſuffered, ſo they might be ſaved. Alas, alas, that the Lord Jeſus ſhould paſs through a life of miſery, to a death more miſerable, to manifeſt openly to the world the abundance of his love; and yet that any ſoul ſhould ſuſpect him of cruelty, or unwillingneſs to ſhew mercy! Ah my ſoul, believe; never cry out, my ſins, my ſins, my ſins; there is a gracious nature and inclination in Jeſus Chriſt to pardon all.
3. Conſider of that office of ſaving, and ſhewing mercy, which Chriſt hath ſet up; this is more than meerly a gracious inclination; Chriſt hath undertaken and ſet up an office to ſeek, and to ſave that which was loſt; to bring home ſtraying Souls to his Father, to be the great Peace-maker between God and Man, to reconcile God to man, and man to God, and ſo to be the Head and Husband of his People. Is not here a world of encouragement to believe in Jeſus? what? to conſider him as one who hath made it his office to heal, and relieve, and to reſtore, and to reconcile? Among Merchants I remember they have an office of ſecurity, that if you dare not adventure on Seas, yet there you may be enſured, if you will but put in at that Office: in this manner Chriſt hath conſtituted and aſſumed the office of being a Mediator, the Redeemer, and the Saviour of men; he hath erected, and ſet up on purpoſe an office of meer love, and tender compaſſion, for the relief of all poor diſtreſſed ſinners: if they dare not venture otherwiſe, yet let them put in at this office. O what jealous hearts have we that will not truſt Chriſt, that will not take the word of Chriſt without an office of ſecurity? ſurely Chriſt never ſo carried himſelf to any ſoul, that it need be jealous of his love and faithfulndeſs, yet this dear husband meets with many a jealous ſpouſe: O my ſoul take heed of this! Satan hath no greater deſign upon thee than to perſwade thee to entertain hard thoughts of Chriſt: believe! never ſay God will not take thee into Covenant, for to this purpoſe he hath erected an office to ſave and have mercy.
Conſider of thoſe tenders and offers of Chriſt, thoſe intreaties and beſeechings to accept of Chriſt, which are made in the Goſpel. What is the Goſpel? or what is the ſum of all the Goſpel, but this? O take Chriſt, and life in Chriſt, that thou may'ſt be ſaved: what mean theſe free offers, Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters, and whoſoever will, let him take of the Waters of Life freely: and God ſo loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. God is the firſt ſuitor and ſolicitor, he firſt prayes the Soul to take Chriſt. Hark at the door! who is it that knocks there? who is it that calls now,Cant. 5.2 even now? open unto me my Siſter, my Love, my Dove, my Ʋndefiled, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night? See him through the windows, this can be none but Chriſt: his ſweet language of Siſter, Love, and Dove, beſpeaks him Chriſt; his ſuffering language, that his head is filled with dew, and his locks wih the drops of the Night? beſpeaks him Chriſt; But harken the motion he makes to thy Soul; Soul! conſider what price I have given to ſave thee; this my body was crucified, my hands and feet nailed, my heart pierced, and through anguiſh I was forced to cry, my ſoul is heavy, heavy unto death, and now what remains for thee but onelyonly to believe? See all things ready on my part, remiſſion, juſtification, ſanctification, ſalvation; I will be thy God and thou ſhalt be of the number of my People; I offer now my ſelf and merits, and benefits flowing there-from, and I intreat thee accept of this offer. O take Christ, and Life, and Salvation in Chriſt What is this the voice of my beloved? are theſe the intreaties of Jeſus? and O my ſoul, wilt thou not believe? wilt thou not accept of this Gracious offer of Chriſt? O conſider who is this that proclaimeth, inviteth, beſeecheth? if a poor man ſhould offer thee mountains of gold thou mighteſt doubt of performance, becauſe he is not of that Power; if a covetous rich man ſhould offer thee thouſands of ſilver, thou mighteſt doubt of performance, becauſe it is contrary to his nature; but Chriſt is neither poor, nor covetous; as he is able, ſo his Name is gracious, and his nature is to be faithful in performance; his Covenant is ſealed with his blood, and confirmed by his oath, that all ſhall have pardon that will but come in, and believe: O then let theſe words of Chriſt (whoſe lips like lillies are dropping down pure myrrhe) prevail with thy ſoul, ſay Amen to his offer, I believe, Lord help my unbelief.
5. Conſider of thoſe Commands of Chriſt, which notwithſtanding all thy excuſes and pretences, he faſtens on thee to believe: And this is his Commandment, that we ſhould believe on the name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt. Surely this Command ſhould infinitely outweigh and prevail againſt all other Countermands of Fleſh and Blood, of Satan, Nature, Reaſon, Senſe, and all the World. Why this Command is thy very ground and warrant, againſt which the very Gates of Hell can never poſſibly prevail: when Abraham had a command too kill his own only dear Son, with his own hand, though it was matter of as great grief as could poſſibly pierce his heart; yet he would readily and willingly ſubmit to it; how much more ſhouldſt thou obey, when God commands no more, but that thou ſhouldeſt belive on the name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt? There's no evil in this Command; no, no, it comprehends in it all good Imaginable; have Chriſt, and thou haſt with him the excellency and variety of all bleſſings both of heaven and earth; have Chriſt, and thou haſt with him a diſcharge of all thoſe endleſs and eaſleſs torments of Hell; have Chriſt, and thou haſt with him the glorious Deity it ſelf, to be enjoyed through him to all Eternity. O then believe in Jeſus! ſuffer not the Devils cavils, and the groundleſs exceptions of thine own heart to prevail with thee againſt the direct Commandment of Almighty God.
6. Conſider of theſe Meſſages of Chriſt, which he daily ſends by the hands of his Goſpel-Miniſters. Now then we are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us; we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be ye Reconciled unto God. What a wonder is here!2 Cor. 5, 20. Would not an earthly Prince diſdain and hold it in foul ſcorn to ſend unto his inferiour rebellious ſlaves for reconcilement? It is otherwiſe with Chriſt; he is content to put up at our hands all indignities and affronts; he is glad to ſue to us firſt, and to ſend his Ambaſſadors day after day, beſeeching us to be reconciled unto him: O incomprehenſible depth of unſpeakable Mercy, and Incouragement to come to Chriſt! That I may digreſs a little, ſay thou that readeſt, wilt thou take Chriſt to thy Bridegroom, and forſake all others? This is the Meſſage which God hath bid me (unworthy Ambaſſadour) to deliver to thee: the Lord Jeſus expects an anſwer from thee; and I ſhould be glad at heart to return a fit anſwer to him that ſent me; ſay then, doſt thou like well of the Match? wilt thou have Chriſt for thy Husband? wilt thou enter into Covenant with him? wilt thou ſurrender up thy Soul to thy God? wilt thou rely on Chriſt, and apply Chriſts merits particularly to thy ſelf? wilt thou believe? for that is it I mean by taking, and receiving, and marrying of Chriſt: Oh happy if I could but Joyn Chriſt and thy Soul together this day! Oh happy thou, if thou wouldſt this day be perſwaded by a poor Ambaſſadour of Chriſt! Blame me not if I am an importunate Meſſenger; if ever I hear from thee, let me hear ſome good News, that I may return it to Heaven, and give God the Glory. Come, ſay on; art thou willing to have Chriſt? wouldſt thou have thy name enrolled in the Covenant of Grace? ſhall God be thy God, and Chriſt thy Chriſt? wilt thou have the Perſon of Chriſt, and all thoſe priviledges flowing from the Blood of Chriſt? ſure thou art willing, art thou not? ſtay then; thou muſt take Chriſt on theſe terms; thou muſt believe on him (i e.) Thou muſt take him as thy Saviour and Lord, thou muſt take him, and forſake all others for him. This is the true Faith, the condition of the Covenant: O believe in Jeſus, and the Match is made, the hands are ſtruck, the Covenant eſtabliſhed, and all doubts removed.